Amarnithi nayanar (Series of Tamil saints)

In the Chola kingdom is the town pallaiyarai which was a centre of major political activity during the Chola dynasty. It was a town of wealth, prosperity, business and activeness. In that town was born the honest trader who is known as amarnithiyar. Professional in his business amarnithiyar was quite wealthy to have heaps of rubies and diamonds, gold and garments from all parts of the world. Still his mind wandered only about the pashupati's feet - the peerless of all gems. The humbleness is good for all, but for the rich it is the glorious wealth. Our nayanar who was very rich in his mind realising right the worthy use of the money, served with high modesty the devotees of the Lord wearing snake rings. He gave them feasts enriched with his kind words and cloths (kovanam/kopin) to wear saluting them.

In the festival of the Three eyed Lord at Thirunallur nayanar worshipped the Love that robbed his heart and made a shelter where the devotees could take rest, have food and relax thinking of God. Along with his whole family he stayed there and personally made sure that devotees are served properly. One of those days when he was filled in happiness of serving His servants, the Lord deciding to show his deserving fame came as a celebrating bachelor with the Holy Ash and other shaiva symbols adorning to his mutt. On seeing him, with the heart blooming in reception and the face widening more further in giving a warm welcome the stainless hearted devotee saluted the Stain throat God. He asked the Lord who had obscured His thrid eye to stay there and bless his service. That veda chanting bachelor said He would take bath in kaveriand come meanwhile as it was about to rain he should secure His cloth without any carelessness since that cloth was matchless, He claimed. He gave the cloth to nayanar and went. nayanar kept that in a very safe place with due care.

Whether He bathed in His matted hair's ganga or in flowing kaveri only He knows, but came back wet walking in the rain after some time. That Lord who removes the three sources of suffering from the devotees heart removed the cloth from the safe place nayanar had kept in His great deed. As if He did not know anything asked amarnithiyar to get that cloth as He was completely wet. nayanar rushed to the place to find the cloth missing. Tensed he searched throughout but how can he find that when the Heart-stealer stole that too off ! He feeling guilty, brought another fine cloth, begged His pardon and said he had brought a cloth which was very nicely woven, He should accept and forgive him. Did that Lord who gave all the coverable wealth to kubera came to accept that white cloth ? What He wanted to clad was the white heart of amarnithi nayanar to exhibit to the world his unequaled service ! He like a jumping flame shouted that nayanar was trying to steal his invaluable cloth and wondered how honest was his trade. Shivering devotee fell on that Bachelor's feet and said he would give gems and jewels to compensate for that cloth. He refused and said He would accept only cloth that is equivalent of it. When asked how he could give the equivalent cloth the Sweet - heart of devotees said whatever the wet cloth He was wearing right then was the equivalent of the one he lost. So he asked nayanar to give the cloths equal to the weight of it.

Agreeing to His suggestion nayanar placed a balance instrument there. He put the other cloth of the direction cladded Lord in one plate and on the other he kept on adding neatly woven cloths. Whatever he put the plate with the cloth of the Bachelor weighed more. Surprised he ordered to put all the new garment bags to balance. That pile was not able to equate the magic cloth. Scared he asked permission from the Lord to put his gems and other wealth too. He told that somehow He wanted things to be equivalent of His cloth. amarnithiyar piled all his wealth. Nothing happened. What can be equivalent of the cloth of vedas that the Lord wears in the entire world ? Even the whole worlds may not match it ! Everything he had was put. Now nothing left the true devotee who stood strong in serving the devotees asked permission to put himself, his wife and son to compensate. The Lord who shows the path to climb out of the ocean of tidal sweets and sufferings allowed them to climb on the balance. Feeling blessed, he with his son and wife circumambulate the balance where the Lord's cloth was there and said, "If it is true that in the purity of love we did not fault in the God's Holy Ash's honest slavery then it should come to balance." He chanting the Lord's Holy Five letters got on the plate over the piles of his wealth.

The wholeness of love and dedication brought the balance in the instrument. The world wondered. The heavenly bodies praised. The Lord of vedas who showed the balance of amarnithi nayanar appeared with His inseparable shakti on the Holy Bull in the Horizon. Blessed the devotee who was praising intermittently with His family standing on the plate. For the deserving devotee who used the worldly wealth for His service He gave the wealth of being with Him. With the plate becoming the heavenly carrier that gifted family reached the abode of Lord Shiva, with the prostration of all the people. Let the determination in doing a flawless service for which amarnithiyar was ready to give himself stay in the mind.